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Androids (人じん造ぞう人にん間げん,Jinzōningen, lit. "Artificial Human") are robotic/cyborg humans, most of which were created by the evil scientist Dr. Gero. Most of the androids are said to have unlimited energy and eternal life. Due to their inorganic nature, they, or at least the ones created by Dr. Gero, except for Cell, also have no detectable aura unlike Saiyans, Humans, and others, so they cannot be directly tracked using Scouters or Ki Sense. The only one that can be sensed via Ki Sense is Gero's ultimate creation, Cell.

Contents

Overview

Universe 7

Dr. Kochin's Android form

Androids serve as main villains during the Android conflict, each serving a purpose of their own. Originally, all of the androids were planned to be used to kill Goku, however, most of the androids turned to the good side or are destroyed. However, in Future Trunks' Alternate Timeline, the androids succeed in their plans for world destruction, managing to kill all of the main Dragon Team members (except for Goku, who dies of a heart virus, and Gohan, who survives but is killed 13 years later) until finally being destroyed by Trunks almost 20 years later. However, all these android models may be powerful, but they can be easily beaten if they let their guard down.

Models

There are three models of androids seen in the series, according to their power supplies:

The Infinite Energy Model: the kind with no drawbacks and an unlimited power supply (such as #8, #16, #17 and #18). This type was said to be more difficult to control. They are immune to being directly detected via Ki Sense or Scouters due to lacking a ki-signature. However, they can be detected indirectly via their opponents' ki. Androids #17 and #18 are special cases, because they had special infinite power cores, which is required by the Bio-Android, Cell, through absorption of the cyborg duo to reach his Perfect Form. Since they are human-based, these android models can increase their power and get stronger if they train, and still retain their organic reproductive systems, allowing them to reproduce (as in the case of Android #18 giving birth to a healthy daughter, Marron). Despite having no drawbacks and infinite energy and stamina, these androids can still be parred on or even be outclassed by non-android opponents in strength and power, if they do not train that is (Examples when Future Trunks easily destroys Future 17 and 18 with little effort, when Cell easily dominates Present 17 and later, Present 18, and when the God of Destruction, Beerus knocks the latter out by elbowing her from behind). Regardless, they can be vulnerable to attacks if they let their guard down.

The Energy Absorption Model: the kind which requires constant intake of energy, usually stolen from victims, to keep their power reservoir from draining, which would cause the android to malfunction (such as #19 and #20).[1] The more energy they absorb from their victims, the stronger they get. Curiously, Dr. Gero oversees his configuration into the latter, rather than the type with no apparent limitations (though it is implied by #18 that this is because the energy-absorbing model is easier to control). This model, like the other Android models (exempting Bio-Androids), is immune to being directly detected by Ki Sense or Scouters due to lacking a ki-signature. However, they can be detected indirectly due to the depleting ki-signature of the victim. These androids can be possibly vulnerable if they let their guard down.

The third kind whose energy exists and circulates as a form of organic ki similar to that of naturally born beings, Bio-Androids (such as Cell and the Cell Juniors), New Type Androids (like Android 21) and Clones (such as Clone Frieza) are the types like this. These androids can be tracked by ki sense, though as Cell proves, they in turn can also learn to sense other's ki as well as mask their own ki signature to elude pursuit, just as organics can. In the case of Cell and all bio-androids based on him, their organic ki is derived from the cells of powerful Saiyans, a Namekian and members of Frieza's race.

There are also hybrids of the models, such as Super 17, who is both an Infinite Energy Model Android and an Energy Absorption Model Android.

Types

There are four types of androids seen in the series, according to their "base" or materials:

Biotechnological Type Androids: "modified humans" and "cyborgs", androids made from an original organic (usually a human) as a base (such as #8(according to some guides), #13(according to a game), #17, #18 and #20). Since they are human-based, they can become stronger if they train. Despite being referred to as "Androids", other than #20 they possess little to no robotic parts and the alterations to their being are simply a result of their organic matter being reconstructed.[2] Though they do not need to eat, they do need to hydrate. Also, their cells deteriorate slowly, so they age slowly too.[3]

Mechanical Type Androids: "total artificial construct types", "robots" or "mecha-types"[4], androids which were made up completely from mechanical parts (such as Major Metallitron, #8(according to Akira Toriyama), #13(according to a guidebook), #14, #15, #16 and #19). For some reason, the totally artificial ones have a blood-like liquid crimson substance, presumably a kind of power oil.

Bio-Androids, androids constructed either through biological engineering or as clones spawned from other bio-androids rather than from machine parts and/or a human base (Cell and the Cell Juniors).

New Type Androids: unique Androids created initially as a Human-type Earthling, but then given additional cells from other creatures over time. The only example of this type being #21, who possess the cells of numerous humans, the Z Fighters, Frieza, all of the cells that Cell is made from, and also the good and evil Majin Buus. 21 can absorb others using Majin Buu's Transfiguration Beam. Since 21 is human-based, she can become stronger by fighting.

Android avatars from Dragon Ball Heroes

As the most developed bio-android with the most versatile energy source, Cell also possess elements of the first two android power supply types as well. For one, he is able to absorb the energy of others and integrate them into his being through his tail, either by sucking them up or swallowing them whole. The latter method actually transforms him into a stronger state, and if he absorbs both #17 and #18 this way, he evolves into a highly potent form he describes as "perfection". Also, his cells can store memory of any form of power they ever taste, allowing him to return to that form if he should ever nearly become vaporized after losing it. Thanks to this and combined with the Saiyan PowerRegeneration of his Saiyan cell properties, he can in fact return from near death even stronger than ever before no matter how severely he should be weakened beforehand.

Universe 3

Universe 3 is a universe populated by cyborgs, modified beings, and machines. The God of Destruction itself is a robot like being named Mosco, who is actually a robot suit used by Mule, the real God of Destruction. The universe's team during the Tournament of Power: Team Universe 3 is made up of modified warriors, cyborgs and robots. When Team Universe 3 lost in the Tournament of Power, the Androids were erased with the rest of Universe 3. They were later revived when the erased universes were restored.

Types

There are several types of Android present in Universe 3.

Old robot: robots who cannot speak outside of beeps, the only one of these seen is the God of Destruction Mosco; the robot piloted by Mule.

Modified warrior: robots and cyborgs who are modified to have combat capabilities, Nigrissi and Narirama are examples of modified warriors.

Android 14 – Completed by Dr. Gero's Super Computer. Does not appear in manga, although the Androids ABCs section implies that they were nearing completion; destroyed by Future Trunks in Super Android 13!

Android 15 – Completed by Dr. Gero's Super Computer. Does not appear in manga, although the Androids ABCs section implies that they were nearing completion; destroyed by Vegeta in Super Android 13!

Future Android 16 - Purely robotic with incomplete programming and unable to fulfill his original directive to eliminate Future Goku due to his death by heart virus. Originally he was never activated in the alternate future timeline, but was found by the time traveling Towa and reprogrammed to serve the Time Breakers in altering the history of the future timeline.

Android 16 (new model) - A new model of Android 16 with all of the original's memories, created and later destroyed by Android 21.

Android 33 – An Android created from Dr. Gero's villain database and a playable character in Dragon Ball Fusions. Classified as an Earthling in Dragon Ball Fusions.

Android 44 – An Android created from Dr. Gero's villain database and a playable character in Dragon Ball Fusions. Classified as an Earthling in Dragon Ball Fusions.

Android 55 – An Android created from Dr. Gero's villain database and a playable character in Dragon Ball Fusions. Classified as an Earthling in Dragon Ball Fusions.

Android 76 – A Namekian Android created from Dr. Gero's villain database and a playable character in Dragon Ball Fusions. Classified as a Namekian in Dragon Ball Fusions due to being modelled after the Namekian race.

Mecha Frieza – Frieza was rebuilt thanks to his father soon after the latter found him injured following his deadly battle against Super Saiyan Goku, becoming half organic, half mechanical (like Mercenary Tao). Mecha Frieza retained his cybernetics while in Hell, though after he was revived Frieza lost his cybernetics after the pieces of his Mecha Frieza form were placed in the Frieza Force's new Medical Machine and he reverted to his 1st form free of his cybernetic enhancements.

Mecha Future Frieza – The Frieza from Future Trunks' and Cell's timelines also appeared as Mecha Frieza.

Octopapa – Turned into a cyborg by the Time Breakers and put in charge of a cave near the location of Cell-X in Dragon Ball Online.

Mecha Goku - A metallic android duplicate of Goku created by Bulma to be a training partner for Vegeta to use in Dragon Ball Fusions. Capable of transforming into Super Mecha Goku, which resembles Goku's Super Saiyan form and causes Mecha Goku's metallic body to turn golden. Classified as a Saiyan in Dragon Ball Fusions due to being modeled after the pure-Saiyan Goku.

Forms

Super Android

Certain Androids have shown the ability to take on a form labeled "Super Android". In the anime and movies, the only Super Androids shown are Super Android 13 and Super Android 17, both obtaining their forms by merging with other Androids in order to increase their power.

Bio-Android forms

God Power

Main article: God Class-up
In Dragon Ball Heroes, the Android Hero Nimu and the Android Elite Nico are capable of taking on a god state like all of the other avatars using God Power.

Super Mecha

Main article: Super Mecha
In Dragon Ball Fusions, Mecha Goku can transform into his Super Mecha form which is a transformation modeled after Super Saiyan Goku. Causes his hair to spike up like Goku's Super Saiyan form and causes his body to turn gold.

Supervillain

Main article: Supervillain
In Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2, by using Towa's Dark Magic to shave off a bit of life force, Perfect Cell and Metal Cooler can transform into their Supervillain forms which cause them to gain a black & white aura along with glowing pink eyes, and a glowing Time Breaker symbol on their forehead. Mira also takes on this form by overcoming his power limiter, even though doing so recklessly causes him to start overheating and according to Towa, will eventually cause him to self-destruct, producing an explosion that she surmises could threaten to wipe out the universe.

Turn Golden

Trivia

At the beginning of Dr. Slump (set 5 years before the beginning of Dragon Ball), Senbei Norimaki claims that Arale who he created was the first perfected humanoid android on Earth.

Before the android concept had become more fleshed out in the anime series, particularly by the Trunks Saga (when previously there were only a few android characters in the franchise), the term 'android' is used in "Enter Goku" by Vegeta, to describe the seemingly invincible Recoome. Funny enough, Android 16 looks very similar to Recoome in terms of hair and stature.

Although #8, #17, #18, and #20 (Dr. Gero) are called androids, they are actually cyborgs (the androids are called cyborgs in some dubs).

Despite being mechanical, thus having no soul or inner essence, even the full androids still manage to make it to other world after their destruction (as Kochin's Bio-men are seen in Fusion Reborn, and Android 19 is seen in Dragon Ball GT).

Some Dragon Ball Z video games that use aura to show ones level of ki (such as Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 3), do not show an aura for Androids. In the Budokai Tenkaichi series, Androids can not charge their ki up, with it instead constantly recharging on its own. However Android 17 is briefly seen powering up with an aura in Dragon Ball Super's second intro.

Androids, like 17 and 18, are not required to eat but must hydrate which results in them living longer than normal humans.

Some Androids, like No. 17, 18, and Cell, can feel pain, mainly because 17 and 18 are human-based, and Cell is a bio-engineered type Android, at one time, when Super Saiyan 2 Gohan kicks him hard in the stomach, this caused so much great pain that he threw up 18, and then Android 18 is shown hurt and injured during her fight against Mighty Mask (Goten and Trunks), and Bio-Broly when at one time, he breaks her arm, causing her to scream in pain. When Super Buu turns her and Marron into chocolate, she screams in agony, and when Future Android 17 is blown to bits by Future Trunks, he is heard screaming, in the FUNimation dub and Dragon Ball Z Kai only, in the original Japanese version of Dragon Ball Z, Future Android 17 is not heard screaming, in the FUNimation version of Kai, Future 17's scream is barely heard, compared to the previous dub of Z, while in the Japanese version, his scream is loud and is heard very clearly.

Despite her infinite energy supply, Android 18 cannot move when she was turned into chocolate by Super Buu, mainly because the victim must have massive amounts of strength, and not power or energy, to move their candied bodies, in the case of Candy Vegito, who can move as a jawbreaker because of his overwhelming strength as well as power, and he even can talk as a mere candy.

It is shown that Cyborg-type Androids are capable of taking baths without short-circuiting themselves, as shown with Android 18, although offscreen, took a bath with her daughter, Marron, as evidenced by a towel on their heads.

Strangely, in the Cell Games Saga, Android 18 is shown short-circuiting when Super Perfect Cell powers up, with pink surges of electricity crackling around her.

When Android 17 appeared in Dragon Ball Super's second opening sequence, there is a scene that he produces an aura as he fires a kiblast, despite being an android/cyborg, which is somewhat strange, as cyborg-type androids are not supposed to produce such auras, as they have insensible and artificial ki and infinite power supply that recharges on its own without the use of such an aura.